The usual increase in cholesterol in women going through menopause is 10-15% or 10–20 milligrams per deciliter. According to the National Library of Medicine, the normal range for adult cholesterol is between 125 to 200 milligrams per deciliter.
In the midst of the general activity of those years, this transition frequently goes unrecognized.
But ladies must get checked out and be aware of their statistics. Heart disease, which kills more women in the United States than any other cause (including all types of cancer combined) is a primary risk factor for high cholesterol. Additionally, the longer a person has high cholesterol, the more likely it is that the cholesterol may accumulate in their arteries and result in a heart attack or stroke.
Around midlife, several factors—such as a sedentary lifestyle, a poor diet, and weight gain—raise cholesterol levels. However, the rapid, inescapable reduction in estrogen levels during menopause stands out as the obvious factor driving this transition. In contrast to other perimenopausal symptoms like mood swings, exhaustion, and vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes, the rise in cholesterol normally occurs in the year leading up to and following menopause.
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Researchers are discovering more about the mechanisms underlying this change, how to screen for it more effectively, and the most effective treatments for women. But admitting it is the first step. This changeover is typical. For women, menopause is a crucial moment to assess their health.
Women typically have healthier cholesterol profiles and lower incidences of cardiovascular disease than males before menopause, which normally begins around age 51 in the U.S. But that benefit disappears as menopause starts. Cardiovascular disease rates are practically equal between the sexes by the time people are in their 60s and 70s, with women having a higher risk than males by the time they are in their 80s. Additionally, early menopausal women are more vulnerable to early harm.
Even before menopause, estrogen’s protective effect on cholesterol is visible as cholesterol levels fluctuate somewhat with estrogen levels during each menstrual cycle. It’s still unclear exactly how estrogen affects cholesterol. Still, a significant portion of it can be attributed to the liver, where estrogen receptors play a role in determining a person’s lipid profile.
RELATED: Menopause: How it Can Affect the Body
Test and Evaluate
Testing for cholesterol levels is the only technique to figure out levels around menopause. However, determining the timing is challenging. Menopause normally doesn’t become noticeable until after a person has gone a full year without having a period.
According to current recommendations, most people at low risk for cardiovascular disease, starting at age 20, should have their
